Radially clamping grips

ABSTRACT

A centrally apertured rotatable yarn gripping device for resiliently radially clamping a length of spun yarn while permitting its movement axially through the central aperture, the device having improved means to allow radial expansion of the central aperture to allow insertion of the end of a length of yarn from either end.

United States Patent 1 1 3,583,141

{72] Inventor Maurice Poull [56] Refere e Cited 1 N gfgg g UNITED STATES PATENTS 0 Nov 19 1969 733,299 7 |903 Sui .1 57/59 2,908,132 l0/l959 Klemm 47/59X 3 270 491 9/1966 0 L 57/77 45 [73] Assignee Electrospin Corporation e 3,372,537 3/1968 Poulletal.... 57/59 3 408 s07 11 1968 s In 57 59 [32] Priority Dec 23,1968 yt e [33] Switzerland Primary Examiner-Donald E. Watkins [31] 19358/68 Att0rneysJohn R. Bronaugh, George R. Powers and Floyd S.

Levison [54] RADIALLY CLAMPING GRIPS 9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs. [52] U.S.Cl 57/59, ABSTRACT: A centrally apertured rotatable yarn gripping 57/773 device for resiliently radially clamping a length of spun yarn [51] Int.Cl D0lh7/00, while permitting its movement axially through the central DOlh 13/04 aperture, the device having improved means to allow radial [50] Field of Search 57/34, 5 1, expansion of the central aperture to allow insertion of the end of a length ofyarn from either end.

PATENTEUJUN sum SHEET 1 BF 3 FIG. 4

PATENTED JUN 8 l9?! SHEET 3 OF 3 FIG. I!

FIG." IO

FIG. l2

lltADIALlLY ctAMPtNo GRIPS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to radially clamping yarn grips ofthe type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,537 which serve to secure a length of yarn angularly therein while allowing the yarn to slide axially and which in one preferred form includes a rigid cylindrical body formed with an axial bore and a plurality of radially clamping filaments housed within the bore. The clamping filaments are distributed equiangularly around the axis of the grip body and are arched to form a bow-net of circular cross section whose narrow end is prolonged to form a bundle. The clamping grip has a resilient sleeve surrounding the bundle which is made of deformable material having a high elastic damping coefficient, the combination being so arranged that the object being gripped can slide axially from the bow-net toward the bundle of filaments and outwardly of the clamping grip.

With clamping grips of the prior art such as those disclosed in the above-stated patent, at the end of the bundle the flexible filaments are either cut offshort or bent radially to prevent the bundle from moving out of the sleeve. The second arrangement as shown in FIG. of that patent has the further ad vantage of keeping the fibers projecting beyond the surface of the yarn being produced from catching on the filament ends. With both of the clamping grips disclosed, the bundle of filaments cannot be opened, or can only be opened with difficulty from the rear or outlet end, that is from the end remote from the bow-net, for example with a tool able to pry apart the flexible filaments which form the bundle. Such an operation may be necessary, inter alia, to engage a yarn in the grip when access to the front thereof is difficult, a not infrequent situation when a grip of this kind is fitted to a textile machine, such as an open end spinning machine of the type disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 3,411,284 issued Nov. I9, 1968 to Corbaz ct al. for "Method and Apparatus for Spinning Textile Fibers."

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides an improvement, making it readily possible for radial expansion of the central aperture formed by the bundle of filaments from the rear or outlet end. This im provement is characterized in that the central through aperture formed by the flexible filaments of the clamping member is of diverging form at each end, the end of each filament at the outlet end being outwardly in an oblique direction in relation to the axis of the bundle, so that the bent ends together form an outlet bow-net which extends the bundle toward the rear.

It is the general object of this invention to devise a radially clamping grip for use in spinning yarn in an open end spinning machine which can be easily opened from the outlet end for purposes ofinsertion of the end of a length of yarn for piecingup the spun yarn.

It is a further object to devise a radially clamping grip which is suitable for use with automatic piecingup apparatus for open end spinning machines where access through the outlet end is required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be described by reference to a preferred embodiment thereof and three modifications as shown in the accompanying figures of drawing, wherein:

FIG. I is a view in longitudinal section of the first embodiment,

FIG. 2 is a rear end view ofFIG. 1,

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged views in side and end elevation respectively of an element visible in FIGS. I and 2,

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views in longitudinal section and rear elevation respectively of the second embodiment,

FIGS. 7 and 8 are enlarged views in side and end elevation respectively ofan element visible in FIGS. 5 and 6,

FIGS. 9 and Ill) are views in longitudinal section and rear elevation respectively of the third embodiment,

FIGS. 11 and I2 are enlarged views in side and end elevation respectively ofan element visible in FIGS. 9 and I0, and

FIG. 13 is a view in longitudinal section of a modification of the first embodiment ofFlG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Now referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a grip similar to that in said US. Pat. No. 3,372,537 is shown with a cylindrical body I, its clamping member 3 having an inlet crown 12 of curvilinear funnel shape I3, and a set of flexible filaments 5a to 5g etc. The number offilaments may vary, however, in the present instance 12 are shown. Each flexible filament has a forward part which is arched so that they together form an inlet bow-net being extended by a straight bundle 8. The bundle 8 of fila ments is clamped by a sleeve l0 made ola deformable materi al having a high damping coefficient and which is engaged between the crown I2 and a bearing washer 9 which rests on the base of the cylindrical body 1. lln accordance with the present invention, the rear or outlet ends 35a to 35g etc. of each of the filaments 5a to 5;; etc. are bent radially in relation to the axis of the bundle 8 so that these bent ends together form an outlet bow-net 36 of conical shape having an opening angle A of less than FIGS. 3 and 4 show the shape taken on by one of the filaments, for instance filament 5g of FIG. 1. This latter filament comprises an arched portion 33 belonging to the inlet bow-net 7, a centrally positioned straight part 34 belonging to the bundle 8, and a rear or outlet end 35 which is so bent relatively to the straight part 34 as to form therewith an angle A which is always less than 90 and which is preferably less than 45. In this first embodiment, the rear or outlet end 35 is bent in the same plane as the arched portion 33. The filaments thus define a coaxial aperture through the grip which aperture is of uniform cross section throughout its central region and ofdivergent progressively greater cross section toward its opposite ends. This aperture is resiliently radially expansible and contractable to permit insertion of a length of yarn therein and to resiliently retain such yarn.

The presence of the divergent outlet bow-net 36 facilitates the introduction into the grip, from the rear or outlet end thereof, of any rigid member, e.g. a tubular tool containing a yarn which it is proposed to engage in the grip as is fully explained in copending application Ser. No. 88I,357, filed Dec. 2, I969.

The second embodiment, shown in FIGS. 56, differs from the first only in that the rear or outlet ends 35a to 35g etc. of the flexible filaments 5a to 5g etc. are bent in a plane other than the plane of the arched portions. This is shown in an enlarged scale in FIGS. 78 which show the rear or outlet end 35a bent in a plane which includes the axis of the straight portion 340, but is perpendicular to the plane containing the arched portion 33a. The angle Al formed by the rear end 35a with the axis of the straight portion 34a, i.e. the opening angle A of the outlet bow-net 36a is here again less than 90, and preferably less than 45".

In the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 910, the rear or outlet ends 350 to 35g etc. have a double bend by being twisted in a conical helix, traced on a cone of opening A2, as is apparent from FIG. 9', consequently the outlet bow-net 3617 as shown in FIG. It) consists of curvilinear rear ends. In this embodiment each of the flexible filaments has the shape shown in FIG. ll-ll2, the rear or outlet end 351) being twisted in a conical helix and portions 33b and 34!) being similar to portions 33 and'34 in FIG. 3.

The flexible filaments can be bent in the formation shown in FIGS. ll, 5 and 9 after being first bent. at right angles in order to bear on the washer 9. FIG. 13 shows the flexible filaments with a 90 prebend 40a which precedes the angular bend 350 similar to that of FIG. 1. This arrangement forms a conical outlet bow-net 36c. This embodiment, however, although it enables the bundle to be opened, for instance by means of a tubular tool, does not allow the latter to be introduced into the bundle, since the 90 bend forms an abutment. The same applies if the bends in accordance with the other embodiments are adapted after an initial 90 bend. The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

lclaim:

1. In a discontinuous yarn spinning machine, a rotatable yarn gripping device for resiliently radially clamping the end of a length of yarn while allowing axial sliding motion of the yarn therethrough, said device comprising a. a rotatable body having means defining a central through aperture with an inlet end, an outlet end, and a central section,

b. said aperture defining means being radially expansible and contractable to vary the diameter of said through aperture and resiliently biased toward its contracted configuration,

c. the inlet and outlet ends of said aperture defining means being of divergent form relative to said central section to facilitate insertion of the end of a length of yarn into said central section through the outlet end of said through aperture.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said aperture defining means includes a plurality of flexible filaments each having an arched portion forming an inlet bow-net and a central portion forming a bundle, and the end of each said flexible filament opposite said arched portion being bent outwardly in relation to the axis ofsaid body to combine in forming an outlet bow-net.

3. The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said flexible filaments in forming said outlet bow-net is bent in the same plane as the said arched portion of the filament to which it belongs.

4. The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said flexible filaments in forming said outlet bow-net is bent in a plane other than that ofthe said arched portion ofthe filament to which it belongs.

5. The device as set forth in claim 3 wherein that portion of each said flexible filament which forms said outlet bow-net is straight.

6. The device as set forth in claim 4 wherein that portion of each said flexible filament which forms said outlet bow-net is straight.

7. The device as set forth in claim 3 wherein that portion of each said flexible filament which forms said outlet bow-net is arched in a plane curve.

8. The device as set forth in claim 4 wherein that portion of each said flexible filament which forms said outlet bow-net is arched in a plane curve.

9. The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said flexible filaments in forming said outlet bow-net is twisted in a conical helix.

" 5325 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,583 141 Dated June 8 197].

Inventor(s) MAURICE POULL It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 46, before "outwardly" insert bent inzned and sealed this 2nd day of November- 1971 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attestimz Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

1. In a discontinuous yarn spinning machine, a rotatable yarn gripping device for resiliently radially clamping the end of a length of yarn while allowing axial sliding motion of the yarn therethrough, said device comprising a. a rotatable body having means defining a central through aperture with an inlet end, an outlet end, and a central section, b. said aperture defining means being radially expansible and contractable to vary the diameter of said through aperture and resiliently biased toward its contracted configuration, c. the inlet and outlet ends of said aperture defining means being of divergent form relative to said central section to facilitate insertion of the end of a length of yarn into said central section through the outlet end of said through aperture.
 2. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said aperture defining means includes a plurality of flexible filaments each having an arched portion forming an inlet bow-net and a central portion forming a bundle, and the end of each said flexible filament opposite said arched portion being bent outwardly in relation to the axis of said body to combine in forming an outlet bow-net.
 3. The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said flexible filaments in forming said outlet bow-net is bent in the same plane as the said arched portion of the filament to which it belongs.
 4. The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said flexible filaments in forming said outlet bow-net is bent in a plane other than that of the said arched portion of the filament to which it belongs.
 5. The device as set forth in claim 3 wherein that portion of each said flexible filament which forms said outlet bow-net is straight.
 6. The device as set forth in claim 4 wherein that portion of each said flexible filament which forms said outlet bow-net is straight.
 7. The device as set forth in claim 3 wherein that portion of each said flexible filament which forms said outlet bow-net is arched in a plane curve.
 8. The device as set forth in claim 4 wherein that portion of each said flexible filament which forms said outlet bow-net is arched in a plane curve.
 9. The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said flexible filaments in forming said outlet bow-net is twisted in a conical helix. 